Ethics and Society

Sometimes referred to as macro ethics, these are broad ethical and social issues in engineering and science that call for the collective social responsibility of the science and engineering professions and societal decisions about research, practice, and technology.

Emerging and Readily Available Technologies and National Security is a study on the ethical, legal, and societal issues relating to the research on, development of, and use of rapidly changing technologies with low barriers of entry that have potential military application, such as information ...

The nanotechnology sector, which generated about $225 billion in product sales in 2009, is predicted to expand rapidly over the next decade with the development of new technologies that have new capabilities. The increasing production and use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may lead to greater ...

AMA's Code of Medical Ethics includes the basic duties of a physician. the AMA Medical Ethics Page includes a large number of opinions on a number of pressing medical ethics topics, as well as a history of the code.

Raising hopes for disease treatment and prevention, but also the specter of discrimination and "designer genes" genetic testing is potentially one of the most socially explosive developments of our time. This book presents a current assessment of this rapidly evolving field, offering ...

Code of ethics for the Association for Computing Machinery. This will link you to the latest version of the code in the Online Codes of Ethics Collection, which includes earlier versions of this code. You can also see other computing codes of ethics in this collection.

This initial practice problem was part of a course on problem based learning (PBL) using fractious problems. It asks students to consider research that would use the Neanderthal genome to bring a Neanderthal to life. Students were asked to apply six skills in analyzing and devising policy resolutions for the problems and to apply PBL skills in doing so.

A synopsis and index of the documents in the Case of the Killer Robot, a detailed hypothetical scenario that combines elements of software engineering and computer ethics. The case consists of several FICTIONAL newspaper articles.

This page contains a collection of news articles that call attention to the issues surrounding climate change, engineered systems and society. They begin with articles about the 2011 flooding in the midwest.

FACT SHEET: Taking Action to Support State, Local, and Tribal Leaders as They Prepare ...

This in-depth case looks at the conflicts that arise in managing and reducing pollution in a community that is reluctant to be involved with government agencies. Ethical issues arise in the case as a result of the consulting engineer's dual role (as paid consultant and unpaid advisor to different groups), the community's suspicion and fear of regulators, the controversial data used to initiate the development of the model, and the bureaucratic nature of the process in which the TMDL was developed. The case was created by Kathryn A. Neeley, University of Virginia; Joseph R. Herkert, North Carolina State University; and Teresa B. Culver, University of Virginia.

For each of the past 7 years at least one person has suffered a fatal automobile accident by crashing into trees closely aligned along a 3 mile stretch of Forest Drive. Many other accidents have also occurred, causing serious injuries, wrecked cars, and damaged trees. Some of the trees are quite close to the pavement. Two law suits have been filed against the road commission for not maintaining sufficient road safety along this 3 three mile stretch. Both were dismissed because the drivers were going well in excess of the 45 mph speed limit.

Today Alison finds herself in a difficult situation. PNSRC is meeting to decide what to do about a heat exchanger problem. Alison is a single voice in a company meeting held to finalize an important decision. Should she speak up?

Dealing with the challenges presented by climate change or rapid urban development require cooperation and expertise from engineering, social and natural sciences. Earth systems engineering is an emerging area of multidisciplinary study that takes a holistic view of natural and human system ...

An engineer is concerned for worker safety during construction but yields to his client's objections to the cost of an on-site representative. This is a historical case reviewed by the NSPE Board of Ethical Review in 1984.

Environmental health decision making can be a complex undertaking, as there is the need to navigate and find balance among three core elements: science, policy, and the needs of the American public. Policy makers often grapple with how to make appropriate decisions when the research is uncertain. ...